Blood Ties

25

Halfway there
~
Accalia
~

Accalia had no chance to get to her room. One step through the threshold and an arm snaked around her waist and she was swept away.

"You're avoiding me," a voice hissed into her ear and it wasn't long until Accalia realised she was standing in Lycus's room as the world around her stopped spinning.

Accalia gripped the bridge of her nose and released a shaky sigh. "I'm not avoiding you."

"You're not even looking at me,"

Accalia levelled her eyes to him and blood spattered across him as if a comet had hit him. Blinking, the crimson slashed across his body cleared like it was never there to begin with.

As Accalia's expression grew stunned, Lycus shifted in realisation. "You're scared of me."

"I'm not."

"You won't look at me, I can't kiss you, sleep next to you ... so yes, you are scared of me and avoiding me." Lycus didn't hesitate and brushed his hands up her arms to keep her still. "Tell me why."

Accalia wanted to use Cadence as an excuse — throwing her cousin into a pit of excuses as to why she pulling away, but it wouldn't work; not with the look Lycus gave her.

"I forget who you are sometimes," Accalia admitted, giving her eyes a rest from him and looking to the ground. "I forget that you're the oldest living Alpha around and that you're known for being more a monster than a man. But Lycus, I see you as a man first before anything else."

Once upon a time, she viewed him nothing more than a beast. A creature designed to be killed by her people for what he was and could be capable of.

That curse broke and Accalia was no longer under that spell.

To be a lycan, you had to be a human first and that was how Lycus came to be.

Accalia was more bound to the man than the beast.

Lycus regarded her silently and placed his hands by her hips, his skin sending heat through her jeans. "I forget who I am too, especially when I'm around you."

Accalia had no response to that, but stood grateful they have somewhat come to a middle ground despite all the dodges she had made at him these past three days. After Erisa came and went, establishing the part she would play in taking down Cole, Accalia dodged all corners and halls Lycus could be in.

"You make me feel human, Accalia and I love you for that."

Accalia gasped, a jittery tremble passing through her body and she bored her eyes into his, not sure if she heard him right. "What?"

Lycus smiled cheekily and pulled her into his chest, holding her still as he stared down at her.

"I love you." Lycus said again as if this was old news, the saying more real than last.

Accalia's heart slammed against her ribcage and her throat closed up, loss for words. "I—I—"

"You don't have to say it back," Lycus murmured and cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing against her jaw.

Accalia saw past his words, saw the pain stinging his eyes as they dilated with overwhelming urgency. She closed her mouth, silencing her mutterings back into her throat and grew stiff in his touch.

She cared about him, cared about him enough to not bare seeing him hurt or in pain. It would break her in two if she ever saw him wounded or weakened. She valued him, cherished him and desired him in every way he did her — but it didn't embed into the sentiment of love.